Karnataka to publish drug procurement information online for govt health facilities
Bengaluru: In a significant step towards enhancing transparency and improving public healthcare delivery, the Karnataka State Medical Services Corporation Limited (KSMCL) will soon publish all drug procurement information online. The initiative aims to ensure both the quality and consistent availability of essential medicines at government hospitals and public health centres across the state.
The decision comes after a meeting between KSMCL officials and representatives of Sarvatrika Arogya Andolana-Karnataka (SAA-K), a grassroots campaign advocating for universal healthcare, as well as members of the Drug Action Forum, as reported by Deccan Herald on Tuesday.
A letter was addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and KSMCL Managing Director Kanagavalli M, urging them to make procurement data publicly accessible and ensure consistent supply of medicines and stock maintenance of regularly needed medicines.
"We have called for tenders to supply drugs. We will ensure that there is transparency in the process and that consistency is maintained. We have e-aushadha and e-upakarana for health centres to place orders for drugs," DH quoted Rao as saying.
Representatives from SAA-K pointed out persistent issues in the supply chain, especially affecting economically disadvantaged patients. They mentioned that poor people were being refused medicines as there was no stock in the department.
"The software can be put to better use here to calculate stocks and to ensure that there transparency in the system," DH quoted Dr Akshay, a representative of SAA-K, as saying.
He stated that if a doctor prescribes medicines for multiple months, those medicines must be available each month. “If it is available one month and not the following month, people are forced to buy them from private pharmacies,” Akshay added.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
